For Want of a Star's Light
by Air-Quiet-Reader
Summary: Ochako is pushing herself to her brink to get stronger. She needed to be better if she wanted to save people. She would catch up to Deku, no matter the cost. But when Eri cries out in need, Ochako rushes in to save the day. To help defeat the girl's demons, Ochako must confront some of her own.


Ochako Uraraka refused to surrender. Not to her churning gut, not to her burning muscles, and not to any sense of reason.

She filled the cool tranquillity of the night with her own blazing fury, drilling the air with thrusting limbs, alternating fists pushing forward. The repetition felt endless.

It was not difficult in and of itself. The challenge was doing it while floating in mid-air, chained just above her bed with a piece of rope.

She had worked on the self-developed drill for a few days now with various different moves. She could generally keep her head on straight and stay focused, even as her own movements sent her tumbling through the air. The difficulty was one of endurance; self-levitating put the most strain on her. Every second she kept herself under that stress added to the agony bubbling inside her belly.

The hero gulped down the bile crawling its way up her throat. She jabbed her right hand out again, muscles hot as she struck out with solid force. There could only be a couple of minutes left - she had promised herself 10. She withdrew the arm, letting her left thrust forward.

The world spun again. She was floating sidelong now, staring up at the overhead light of her room. She blinked, blinded by the brightness. But she kept her pistoning fists steady, refusing to let it affect her. She would withstand anything.

How many seconds were there now? Ochako's hazy mind struggled as she rotated to face her bed again. She had lost count of her own reps but did not let that dissuade her. Her phone would sound when it was time. It could not be much longer. She just had to keep pushing-

All at once, her puke rushed upward, the churning of her gut roaring in outrage. Her fists were stayed by her queasiness, flying to her face to stop her from barfing all over herself. She immediately deactivated her Quirk, letting herself fall with a soft thud against the bed. She struggled, cheeks puffing out with the disgusting swell of fluids, as she twisted over to her bedside barf bucket and let loose.

So ended the supposed might of Uravity: felled by the same Quirk which allowed her to soar.

Ochako groaned when it was done, fists balled as she gazed down at her stomach's contents. Her phone buzzed from the floor nearby to indicate the end of her drill, mocking her for coming just short.

She closed her eyes, momentarily letting her world go dark, wishing desperately that she could shine brighter.

An energetic knocking on her door loudly disrupted her thoughts. "You alright in there? I can hear you hurlin'!"

Mina's voice boomed despite her distance. Her floormate's projection was impressive but not strictly welcome. With a sigh, Ochako quickly untied herself from the bed, bounding over to meet her oft-impatient friend.

She hastily grabbed a tissue to wipe away at her mouth before opening the door, flashing the pink girl a closed-lipped smile. Her mind quickly switched gears to do damage-control.

"Heya, Mina! Yeah, sorry if I grossed you out a bit," Ochako said with an awkward laugh, scratching at the back of her neck. "Got a little carried away with some late-night training."

The pink girl, dressed in a casual yellow shirt and shorts for sleeping, quirked up an eyebrow at her. She leaned slightly to the left, staring past Ochako to the conspicuous bucket next to her bed.

"Geez, you really don't stop, do you? You're reminding me of Midoriya," Mina said brightly, shaking her head.

The comment might have once sent Ochako into a sputtering fit. Knowing Mina, it was a loaded statement, implicating secret pinings.

But Ochako had a better hold of those feelings these days - mostly. She felt her cheeks go flush at the comparison - and compliment - but brushed it aside otherwise. "You think? Well, I think you gotta be that determined if you wanna keep up, ya know?"

"Sure," Mina replied, her smile falling away from her eyes. "Hey, is everything okay with you?"

Ochako blinked at the sudden question. "What makes you say that?"

Mina's exuberance had completely faded now. It was always a bizarre sight. "I guess I'm just worried you're pushing it a little _too_ hard," Mina pointed toward the bucket at her bedside. "You can relax a little. It won't do you much good if you're too tired for class."

Ochako followed Mina's finger, regretting, even more, her inability to hold that in. Mina was a lot more perceptive than she let on sometimes.

The pink hero was not necessarily wrong. Ochako could not recall a time in her life where she had pushed herself like these last few months. But she did not see any other option. It would do her no good trying to cross the chasm between herself and the best slowly - not when it got wider every day.

Not that she would let any of that uncertainty show.

"Alright, alright, I'll turn it in after I finish my English homework," Ochako replied airily with a grin. "And I'm doing fine. Just got a little carried away this time."

"Uh-huh," Mina said, leaving every trace of doubt in her tone. "Guess I'll leave you to it then; I don't want anything to do with homework."

The two shared a laugh. It was forced and offered none of the relief it should have.

Mina turned to depart but stopped midway through the motion, freezing awkwardly in place. She inclined her head backwards, giving Ochako one last smile.

"You know, if you ever need to talk about anything, we're here for you."

It was an ominous remark, but Ochako rolled with it. She grinned back sincerely, mind flashing to her classmates and friends. "I know. Thanks."

Ochako was left befuddled by the strange encounter as Mina left her alone to her thoughts. With a sigh, she moved to grab the bucket and clean it out. She frowned, knowing her dreaded homework awaited after the unseemly task.

She walked out of her room and made her way over to the dorm building's sizable shared bathroom space to wash it out. The hallways were lit lowly now, the night well upon them. Few students stayed up as late as she did, given the rigours of their daily grind.

Her mind grew muddled in a familiar fog as she made her way forward.

Of course, their rigorous schedule did not stop everyone. Deku was still up this late and out in the field. He was on night patrol for his work-study and would not be back until early morning. He had become trusted and dependable, spending more time in the field than most of their class. Just another way Deku was proving himself.

Ochako sighed mournfully, reaching the washroom and hauling the bucket up toward one of the oversized sinks. She idly turned the tap on, letting the water wash away her vomit. As she made about rinsing it, the unpleasant smell started to fade.

The remnants of her training were gross, but they were a small price to pay. She knew she had to get stronger. She had to be if she wanted to save people as well as Deku could, and save him if that proved necessary again. Her mind flashed to Nighteye, dying in her arms, herself lacking the power or speed to rescue him. She would not fail like that again.

Sadly, her Quirk was limited compared to what Deku's could do. She had to push if she had any hope of keeping up with the best and brightest of the class. That was her lot in life. She could not be as flashy, but she would make up for it. She had to. Doubt, insecurity, and fear - they were there, but she refused to lose to them.

Task completed, Ochako took a moment to grab a handful of water and splash it over her face, letting its cold snap her back to reality. It would do her little good to get too lost in her own thoughts.

She made her way back towards her room and dropped off the bucket. She idly glanced toward her bed, which called out to her with its softness. Sighing again, she instead turned to her desk, where a knapsack of homework awaited her.

But as she tried to dig into it, she found it difficult to make much headway. A fog remained settled over her mind, hanging obtrusively in the background, making it difficult to see what was right in front of her. Vague, anxious pricks kept interrupting, whether they highlighted her own inadequacies, her training or what difficulties the next day might bring.

"This bites," she grumbled, letting her head fall onto her desk. She stared into the nearly empty page, with few markings to show for a half-hour of work.

Ochako stood up and stretched. She needed to clear her head. Find something to centre herself again. She had a good spot for that kind of thing, but it involved a late-night stroll. It took some finesse to ensure she went undetected, but she was confident she could manage it.

With a focused idea in mind, she ventured outside her door into the dark, empty hallway. As expected, there wasn't anyone else wandering this late at night. Mina was the only other girl on her floor and would be sound asleep by now.

She turned to make her way down the lowly lit stairs. She ventured into the staircase, but stopped when she heard a strange sound.

She could just barely make it out. Her ears perked up at a distinct, quiet noise piercing through the peace of the night. It was distant, a sound wholly unusual to the halls of their dormitory.

Whimpering.

Ochako tensed, moving quietly in search of the source. It was unusual to see any of her classmates up and about this late. She got a sinking feeling in her gut as she moved downwards, the whimpering echoing through the stairs.

The silver hair was unmistakable, reflecting the waning light from overhead. Eri's small frame shook as she took unsteady footsteps. It was the lonely journey of a sad soul, fighting through the darkness in pursuit of…

Well, Ochako could not be sure of what. But she suspected Eri might be searching for one of her closest protectors.

She frowned as she looked at Eri, who had not yet noticed her. This would take a delicate approach. She did not want to startle the poor girl. Though they had the occasional friendly interaction, she could not count herself as trusted in the same way Deku or Togata were.

The circumstances gave the hero-in-training pause, a vice squeezing in on her. She would normally be exuberant with Eri, who seemed appreciative of it in their limited time together. But this was a little more out of her depth. The girl was clearly distressed. Their class had not gotten much training on consoling people in emergencies. Dealing with the effects of trauma in the long-term was another matter entirely. She had watched Deku manage it - and caught him reading a lot of material on the matter - but the girl already had the utmost faith in him.

The soft little sobbing of a girl in need rang through the night once more.

Ochako spurred herself into action, stepping forward. She could not let her own misgivings stop her. There was someone in need. Even if she was not the best person for the job, she could still help.

Eri was in pain. Uravity had to protect her.

She used careful footsteps in her approach. She paused at the top of the steps, waiting until Eri reached the bottom before announcing herself. She did not want to risk the girl tripping on stairs.

"Eri?" Ochako said quietly, moving a little closer to the child but keeping her distance.

Despite her efforts, she could see the shock of her presence quickly surge inside Eri. The little one let out a gasp, suddenly standing ramrod straight, head moving about rapidly to search for an unseen threat.

Eri's leaking red eyes fell upon the young hero. The girl stopped for a moment, her body shivering as she tried to sniffle back her tears. Her lip started to quiver, unable to make a sound as the disturbance froze her in place.

"Heya," Ochako said gently, leaning down to sit and move herself a little closer - but not too close. She had to take this slowly. "Do you...do you need something, Eri? Do you want someone to talk-"

"No," she hiccuped out quickly, a couple of fresh tears sliding down her cheeks. "I just...just...walking."

Ochako bit her lip at the response. It was really Deku who should be here - but he was gone for the night. Aizawa too had departed; he had some kind of mission and entrusted Class 1-A to look after her for the night when other options fell through (not an abnormal arrangement - they had even made a room for Eri at the dorms). She did not even know how to contact Togata.

She had few options. She was not prepared for this. But she did her utmost not to show any of her uncertainty. She had to be strong, a pillar for Eri to lean on,

"Well, if you like, we could walk together," Ochako suggested brightly. "Deku's out for the night, but he'll be back early in the morning."

She donned a heroic mantle, filling the words with as much warmth as she could muster. She knew the girl had become all-too-familiar with coldness in the adults who spoke to her.

"...But if anything's bothering you, I'm a pretty good listener."

Ochako flashed Eri her best smile, hoping it could cut through the thick tension surrounding them.

Eri's vivid red eyes blinked up at her, the tears stopping for a moment. But the frown on the girl's face remained, her brows furrowed as she considered Ochako.

The hero could feel her face start to waver as the seconds dragged on.

Eri did not say anything at first. Instead, she took a few slow steps up the staircase. She looked up at Ochako once again, before taking a seat on the stairs beside her.

Not the warmest reception, but Ochako would take it gladly. It was progress.

"I'm..." Eri whispered, voice barely sounding through the cool air. She sniffled before speaking again. "I…don't know what to do."

It was not a forthright admission, Ochako knew. She was not really trusted, not yet. If she wanted to change that - to help the poor girl - she would need to do more. Go beyond.

"You know, when I have trouble sleeping, I usually like to go for a walk, too," Ochako spoke with friendly nonchalance. "Maybe see the stars. I always feel comforted by them."

Ochako slyly drifted her gaze toward Eri, watching those red eyes blink at the statement.

"How...where do you see the stars?" Eri looked up at her quizzically, head tilting slightly at the question.

The hero-in-training could not prevent the smile from running away from her face. She realized the young girl may never have known the same star-lit skies that she had in her childhood.

Eri had been trapped underground for who-knows-how-long and was living in a light-polluted city otherwise. How often did she even look up at the night sky? What else had she missed out on?

Inspiration surged through Ochako, imagination flying with possibilities. She put her smile back on, extending her hand out to the little girl, pinky raised.

"If you'd like, I can show you."

Ochako observed the emotions playing out on Eri's face. The fear was still there as the girl stared at the outstretched hand, eyes darting periodically upward to gauge.

Eri reached out slowly, pausing a couple of times, her hand wavering. The girl had already proven her bravery and started opening up to the class. But at the moment, this task appeared monumental for her to overcome.

But Ochako stayed patient and was eventually rewarded. The girl placed her hand in hers. It hardly weighed anything; it was soft, fragile as that of a babe. She knew she would have to put her all into protecting it.

"...Okay," Eri muttered softly, staring upward with a neutral expression. "I want to see the stars."

Ochako beamed at her. "Then I'll take you there."

Without any extra fanfare, Ochako stood up, gently tugging the hand up the stairs in the opposite direction. It was a bit of a hike getting to the top of the building and Eri did not navigate the steps quickly, but Ochako was all too happy to take her time. In the moment, the child's tears were quelled as a narrow-minded curiosity took hold at the promise of a night sky.

One step at a time, the pair arrived at their destination. The path led to a tightly-sealed steel door. Ochako did not wait to explain, pushing it open and guiding Eri to the outside world.

"Well, here we are!" Ochako proclaimed brightly as they stepped onto the rooftop. It was flat and ordinary, flanked by the two sides of the dorms. But it was the gateway to the skyline she treasured. It was just high enough to get above the light pollution below and capture a glimpse of a few of the brighter stars. It was a far cry from the brilliant skies of her countryside home, but the pure lights never failed to inspire and calm. The stars were steady, a constant radiance she could aspire to.

For her part, Eri did not seem quite as outwardly enthused. But she still showed some positive signs; she followed Ochako's eyes into the sky, focusing intently on the bright spots above. She blinked rapidly, walking forward aimlessly as she considered them.

"Pretty…" she whispered.

Ochako was thrilled at the sight. Her mind briefly flashed to herself at Eri's age, walking happily with her hands held by her parents flanking either side. She could remember feeling incredible happiness and awe as she gazed up at the starry sky. Her parents dutifully pointed out the constellations, stoking the embers of her love of the cosmos.

The hero blinked back to the present and the small girl standing by her lonesome. A girl with a childhood so unlike hers. Trapped in the darkness beneath the ground, tortured and abused. An endless, starless night.

There was a void around Eri, empty of the loving figures every child should have. It was not something Ochako - or anyone - could truly fill. But for one night, maybe she could help the girl walk with surer steps.

"Hey, want to come over and sit with me? There's a nice spot on the edge of the roof," Ochako asked, pointing towards it. "If you're comfortable, I mean."

Eri let her gaze fall from above, eyes shifting to regard Ochako once more. "Okay."

She's really quiet. Ochako did not let the stray thought sully her cheery demeanour as she escorted the girl over to her favourite place on the roof.

They reached a dead-end, with the whole of the U.A. campus sprawled out below them and the city on the skyline. Ochako stretched out a bit before sitting down cross-legged near the edge, getting into a comfortable position. She let out a contented sigh as the fresh, cool air brushed over her skin.

Eri followed along meekly, carefully kneeling to the ground before letting her feet sprawl loosely to her side. She followed Ochako's eyes upwards, to those same entrancing stars.

"I didn't know there were so many," Eri said after a pause, her voice just barely letting out a bit of excitement.

Ochako seized on the opportunity, responding with gusto. "There are more stars than even this out there if you look in the right places. But this is pretty good." She paused, letting the information sink in. "Can you see the shapes in the stars?"

Eri glanced over at her, eyebrows quirked upwards. "Shapes?"

"Yeah! They're called constellations," Ochako explained. "They can be a little hard to spot. But can you see those four stars bunched together?"

Ochako lifted a finger skyward, leaning in closer to the girl to direct her eyes toward four brighter stars, shaped like a malformed cup.

Eri squinted, eyes scanning for a moment. "I don't...I don't think I can see it."

"Little to the left," Ochako encouraged, watching Eri's eyes intently. There was a wonder within them, but she could Eri's mouth shift into a frown as frustration started to build. "It can be hard to spot, but there's a really bright star right next to the four."

She got a strange sense of déjà vu, being on the other side of this conversation. She could remember her own father pointing these things out to her, once upon a time.

"I...I think I see it," Eri whispered, squinting hard. Her mouth curled slightly as she tried to keep her focus on it. "It's shaped kinda funny."

"Great job, Eri!" Ochako flashed her another grin, though Eri did not seem to take heed of it. "Most constellations are, but it's still fun to find them all. You can't really see the other stars tonight, but there is a handle that sticks out from the cup. It's called the North Dipper."

Ochako used her finger to paint the pattern across the sky, drawing out the stars hidden amidst the clash of nature's darkness and humans' light. Eri's gaze followed the movement, but she did not voice anything.

There was an awkward pause as Eri's eyes started to wander downward. The minutes started to pass without the girl speaking. Her body shivered as she curled up and wrapped her tiny arms around her knees.

Ochako realized she was starting to lose her. The stars did not entrance for long. She'd have to act.

"You know, there is one star you can almost always see." The words came out in a rush, far too urgent and harried for the situation. Her voice was loud and Eri reacted with a startled upswing of her head.

Ochako paused, taking a breath to calm herself. She had to tread lightly. No use getting too distressed.

She pointed to the sky again, to the one star that shined brighter than the rest. "That one is called 'Polaris.' The North Star. If you're ever lost, you can always count on it."

Her mother had told her this one. Ochako always thought of her when she gazed up at it.

"You can?" Eri said softly, inclining her head upwards. The hero smiled in reply, glad for some response.

"Mhm. If you face it, you're always looking north," Ochako recited matter-of-factly. "So you can always find your way with it. And it's one of the brightest ones in the sky, so it will almost always be there for you. It's really dependable!"

"Be there…" the girl whispered again, barely above a breath. She curled further into herself, burying her face in her knees. "Dependable. Like Deku."

Ochako resisted the urge to slam her palm into her face. Of course, the explanation would remind her of him, the hero she was clearly missing terribly. She should have seen that coming. He was the person Eri really wanted to comfort her.

Her mind scrambled. She tried to raise her voice, but the words kept dying in her throat, robbed by the spectre enshrouding the child. This stargazing ploy had been the best thing she could think of on the fly and it was not working. Every word she said seemed to make Eri further withdrawn.

She found herself lost in a bizarre rush of nostalgia.

* * *

_"Heya, sweetie. Something bothering you?"_

_The small girl jumped slightly at the question. Ochako sat straight up in a mild panic. It felt strange to react this way, but in her terror, it was all too natural._

_She did not say anything, mind whirring, trying to come up with an answer. Her daddy was not supposed to notice she was upset. She thought she had been so careful._

_He sat down beside her, joining her in staring out into the night from their front porch. The stars were as beautiful as always, but they seemed almost mundane now - always changing, yet always there. The girl instead kept her eyes forward on the dirt road leading out of their home, which appeared to go nowhere in this darkness._

_Ochako took a shuddering breath._

_"I'm okay."_

_She did not say more, fearful she could not control herself if she let her tongue stray. That she might reveal her growing understanding of their family's poverty. That she would tell him she overheard her parents in great duress as they talked about budgets. That she knew they were putting on a brave face._

_"Well, I'm not. And I'm sorry that I've tried to hide that from you."_

_The bizarre statement disarmed her, her fragile grip on her centre slipping once again. She craned her neck around quickly to regard him properly. He still looked out into the night for a moment, before turning to her, wearing a deep frown. She could not remember the last time she had seen one on him._

_"We're in tough, Ochako. I'm not going to deny that." The seriousness in his tone was unlike anything she had ever heard from him. She watched him in rapture, eyes wide. "I got laid off two days ago. I don't have a job anymore, I mean."_

_"You-you don't?!" She squeaked the words out with more force than intended. She did not know this was something that could even happen._

_Her father held up a hand to give her pause. "It won't be for long. I'll find something soon. But we're going to have to be careful with our money for a while."_

_His hand reached forward and he gently patted her on the head. She stared up at him as a smile blossomed on his face once more. She blinked back the tears from her eyes. When had she started crying? She furiously rubbed at them. She was supposed to stop doing that. Stop adding to their burden._

_"I promise you, we'll get through this, Ochako," he said, with the happy-go-lucky surety that always comforted her._

_"How can...you…" she stuttered through her gasping breaths, trying to rein herself in. But she could not stem the flow of her own misery. "You should be spending less on me, then! I'll manage, don't worry about dessert or my birthday or -"_

_His small laughter snapped her out of her rambling. She blinked and the grin on his face grew wider. "Look at you. Already trying to save people. You really are going to be a great hero, if you want to be."_

_"Daddy, I-"_

_"This isn't your fault, Ochako," he said firmly, wrapping an arm around her to pull her in close. His warmth collided with her night-cooled skin, sending goosebumps up her arms. "But thank you. You don't have to worry so much. We will be okay."_

_Try as she might, Ochako could not withstand his loving onslaught. She crumbled into him, sobbing into his chest as all the feelings she had tried to bottle up burst forth. He rocked her back and forth, lips shushing sweetly as she rode the storm out._

_"I...I promise," she stammered, her sobbing throat no match for her roaring heart. "I'm going to help you. I'll make lots of money. All the money. You won't have to work at all anymore!"_

_He did not laugh at her proclamation. She heard him lay out a shuddering breath of his own. She tried to look up but was stopped as he pressed a kiss into her temple._

_"I know you will. You can do anything you dream of."_

* * *

The memory flashed vividly in her mind. A mixture of joy and sorrow in equal measure spiralled upward within her.

It was strange, finding herself here. Stuck in an awkward position trying to console a miserable little girl, much like her father did for her. It was not the same, not nearly. She and Eri were worlds apart. But perhaps she could at least follow a good example.

Ochako looked up at Polaris again. She closed her eyes and sighed. Deku's freckled face swam in her vision, bringing with it the usual off-kilter jitter of her heart. But she kept herself grounded despite that.

She paused to glance at the frightened child once again. She was completely withdrawn into herself now, consumed by something that could not be seen.

This was not a fight she had ever faced. But she would find a way to win.

"You know, I used to think my powers weren't good enough. I wondered...if I could be good enough. I haven't been able to help everyone I wanted to."

The words had the desired effect. The small girl unfurled ever so slightly, peeking an eye out towards her. Freshly tear-stained irises gazed up at her, sparkling with a subdued curiosity.

Ochako watched Eri out of the corner of her eye but acted aloof, keeping her head affixed towards the north star above.

"I'm surrounded by so many incredible heroes. They all shine so brightly. Most of them are better than me. And he…" she paused as his visage popped into her mind again. "Deku shines brighter than them all."

Ochako let a beat of silence play out. Hoping. Praying for a response.

"He's the best," Eri whispered, barely audible in the light breeze.

The hero pounced at the response.

"He's my best friend," she replied in a rush, turning around to smile at the girl again. "And…well…"

She wanted to bite her tongue. She wanted to stop. She was afraid that unchaining even a small part of the feelings rattling around in her heart would only do ill.

But if she wanted openness from Eri, she would have to be open in kind.

"And he's my…my hero." She could see him in her mind's eye, looking out to the horizon, back turned to her, outfit flowing in the wind. The words were hard to say - but they felt right.

"Me too," Eri whispered, a little louder than before. Ochako dared to glance directly into the girl's eyes. The tracks of grief still ran roughshod across her face. But the sparkle of childish wonder was back again, something that all children should have in a world of heroes.

"Every step of the way since I joined this school, he's been there for me. And stayed ahead of me. I realized I was relying on him a lot."

The entrance exam. Classes. Their first hero tests. The sports festival. The memories played through her mind like a film strip. Thrilling, joyous, chaotic moments stained with the realization of her own mediocrity.

She kept her eyes glued to the steady north star, still hanging in the sky. With her own steady hand, she reached out a little in front of her, like she might have done as a child.

"But I didn't want to stay in his shadow forever. I wanted…" she closed her hand around the light before her, blotting out its radiance. "I wanted to stand on my own two feet."

"But how…" she could hear the girl's voice welling up again, tugging at Ochako's heartstrings. "How do you do that?"

Ochako withdrew her hand first, letting the light shine again. "It's hard. I thought I might not be able to. But I realized it wasn't my classmates or my powers that were holding me back. Not really. It was me."

Ochako dared to incline her head to Eri again. The girl was no longer curled into her shell. She had shifted ever so slightly closer and was staring up at Ochako again. The tears still venturing down her face were gut-wrenching.

But Ochako could see a dash of that wonder in the girl's eyes. The wonder now directed at herself. It was hard to take in being looked at that way.

"I know I still need support from the people close to me. And we're both lucky to have that already." Ochako felt something wet fall down her cheek. She shifted a hand to catch it, the water cool against her fingertips. When did that start?

She could not mind it now. She had a child to save.

"But I know I can persevere. I know however dark the night may seem, there is always a lighter spot to find. I know I'm strong enough. I'll achieve my dreams. I don't have to doubt that.

"And so will you. You can shine bright as the stars, Eri."

A guttural cry pierced through the tranquil night. Ochako moved before Eri did, catching the child as she fell weeping into her arms.

Ochako had no siblings. She had no experience like this to speak of. But it was simple enough to squeeze the girl close, rubbing her hair gently as she came to pieces against her side. This was something heroes - and humans - just had to do.

The torrent was hard to withstand. Flickering embers of rage danced at the corners of her mind at the thought of the villains who had so broken the girl.

But Ochako had already done her part to bring the captor to justice. If she wanted to be a saviour among heroes, a part of her knew this kind of pain would be part of it. She would have to fight in battles that lasted far longer than the physical conflicts.

So be it. If she could help ease the burden of people suffering, she always would. She was Uravity, after all.

"...I saw him. He was...I was back there…"

Eri did not need to say who she saw in her nightmares. Ochako resisted the urge to curl her hands into fists.

"He can't hurt you anymore," she replied gently, containing the fire burning inside her. "I am here."

"I was in that chair again. It hurt...it hurt so much." The echoes of her nightmare were unrelenting. It rained blows down on both of them. Ochako wished this was a foe she could punch back directly.

"You'll never have to face that again. I promise."

"He said...he said…" Eri struggled to speak in the torrents of her own duress, words flooded as she sobbed.

She subsided for a moment, becoming more still, but still quivering into Ochako

"Nobody is coming to save you. They know you're a monster. That you're cursed. You are unwanted."

The words sent a chill down Ochako's spine. There was a brutal, lifeless cold to her manner of speaking - far too good an imitation of her surrogate "father."

"You can't even heal the damage you caused…" Eri did not relent. She suddenly pushed herself out of Ochako's embrace. She fell to the ground, barely held up by trembling knees and hands. "That hero has better things to do than deal with you."

Eri carefully stood herself back up. She looked so fragile, as if the wind might blow her over. Her silver hair was dull against the dark skyline.

"You may as well leave," Overhaul said, using Eri's voice.

Ochako swallowed the lump in her throat. Eri's was an abyss far deeper than any she had ever encountered.

She realized the girl had not gone out into the night looking for Deku, Aizawa or Togata. On the contrary, Eri was running away from them. From everyone.

Ochako did not know if this was a spectre she could win against. There were some shadows that even the most shining heroes could not completely dispel.

Nevertheless, she rose. She put one foot in front of the other, toward the girl that needed her help. There was no time to doubt her abilities. She was a hero. There was someone who needed saving. It was that simple.

Uravity stopped in place in front of Eri. The child appeared rooted in place, her eyes hidden by her silver hair, firmly planted toward the ground. The light of the stars could not reach her.

The hero kneeled down, meeting Eri face-to-face.

"You are wanted, Eri. And we want you to stay with us." Uravity said it with the biggest grin she could hope to manage. She wore it proudly, thinking of the expression she wanted to bring back to Eri's face.

The words were slow to draw a reaction. But Eri started to lift her head a little, face still hidden beneath her hair.

"We lead busy lives. But we'll always be there for you. Me, Deku, Aizawa, LeMillion - everyone. I promise." She boldly grabbed the small girl's hand and lifted it, giving it something firm to rest on. She squeezed it softly, sealing the promise. "You have a home now."

"But...but I…" she gazed upward again. Tears freshly sprouted around her stained eyes, but for once, Uravity was not too unhappy to see them. It was far better than the lifeless possession from before. "Everyone wants me to help Mirio...I want to help him. But I can't."

"We all want to help people, Eri. But none of us are completely ready, either." The burden of holding a happy face became a little easier as all the memories of their schooling flowed through her. "I want to save people. Save heroes. But I know I have a lot to learn before I can do it."

She held up her free hand, showing Eri her padded fingertips. "I can make things float if I touch them. But I don't have perfect control of it yet. I can't lift myself for very long. And I can't get close enough to use it all the time."

Uravity let out a chuckle at a sudden memory, startling Eri. "And my power got me into a lot of trouble when I was your age. I used to send myself floating into the ceiling. Or one time, I sent a classmate hurtling into the sky without knowing how to safely bring him back down."

Eri tilted her head curiously at her again. Uravity took a quick breath. Right. She needed to keep this on track.

"The point is...I guess every Quirk can hurt people, if that makes sense. It's in how you use it. Deku told you that, right?" Uravity asked. Eri provided an answering nod. "Nobody in our class has a perfect handle on their powers. Not even Deku. It takes time and it takes work."

The girl's lip quivered. She lifted her head to stare squarely at Uravity, the tremors starting to rock through her again.

"But I'm...I'm not like you. I'm not good."

The words stung. It was like an arrow ripping through her, aggravating old wounds. It reminded her too much of her own worst thoughts.

Uravity kept smiling. In this, she at least knew the answer.

"You are good. And you'll get even better," Uravity assured her, squeezing her hand carefully again. "I used to think that way sometimes. I still do. But we have to push through those feelings. We can't let them hold us back."

Eri was still weepy and trembling. There were scars in her that might never fully heal. A gaping void still enshrouded her.

"I want to. But I don't know how."

Uravity knew she could not do it all for the girl. But she could at least try to fill that empty space with as much light as she could.

"Then I'll help you," she stated matter-of-factly. "We all will. We're going to be there for you, every step of the way."

Uravity brought her right hand forward to grab Eri's left. She brought their hands together, shaking them more firmly.

"We'll work at it until we can get through this together. Okay?"

She was a lot less confident than she showed. She didn't really know if she had said the right things. She did not know if Eri could really trust her in that way. She had winged this out of desperation. All she had was the faint hope that she could ease Eri's burden.

A solid weight snapped herself from her thoughts. Eri buried herself more firmly in her arms, grabbing tightly with surprising strength.

Ochako nearly fell over, but reacted well enough to grab hold, letting Eri work through some of it. There was a harshness to the way she clutched. It was a little intense, but Uravity absorbed it as well as she could.

"Kind…" Eri whispered. Ochako was not sure if she was meant to hear that.

There was a pause as Eri shed more silent tears into her shirt. But eventually, she answered, more audible this time.

"...okay. Let's do it."

Ochako felt lighter than air. Relief flooded her as she basked in whatever success she had managed. She had risen to the challenge, in spite of the odds. Maybe she could do this kind of thing, even if it made her stomach twist itself into knots.

She tried to adjust her position to steady herself. Her feet met nothing.

Ochako yelped as she held on a little more tightly to the girl. Her Quirk had gone off without her realizing it. They were only a few feet above the ground now, but quickly rising.

"Err…I just need you to hold on real tight for a moment. Okay?"

Ochako tried to disguise the slight panic in her voice. But Eri seemed to catch on, disentangling slightly to see what was happening. The child turned her head down, eyes widening as she realized they were floating.

"Oh...wow," Eri murmured, looking down at the ground getting farther and farther away. "We're flying!"

"Sorry, kind of slipped with my Quirk. I'll get us-"

She stayed her tongue. She watched, awestruck as Eri's smile bloomed in front of her. It seemed so strange after how long she had seen that face etched with misery on this long night. The sun was rising for the child once again.

Her heart soared in unison with Eri's. She had to make the moment last.

"Eri...do you trust me?"

The girl turned her attention back to her hero's face. Still smiling, she did not hesitate before nodding, much to Ocahako's delight.

"Do you want to try flying a bit more?"

Her blazing red eyes widened at the question. She took a little more time to think about it. Eventually, she slowly nodded her affirmation.

"Alright, then." Ochako brought her fingers together and let them fall back to the ground with little fanfare. She wanted to be steady for this and it would be easier to keep her Quirk on only one person.

Carefully, she grabbed Eri's sides as gently as she could manage. The girl hardly weighed anything, even before she activated her Quirk. She wondered if that was her own strength growing or a cause for further concern for the girl's health.

Eri's smile fell. She suddenly seemed unsure, the downsides of this new experience popping into her mind. This would take care.

"Alright, Eri. Are you ready? I promise I'll have control of you. Just let me know when you want to come down." Ochako said it with some energy, wanting to erase any trace of doubt in the girl.

Eri took another pause. She glanced down on the ground momentarily, then back up toward the sky. "Okay. I'm ready."

Ochako took a deep breath. She set her breathing carefully to help her manage the strain. Gently, she brought her pinkies down to grasp Eri, triggering her Quirk. She carefully pushed Eri upward - enough force to give her a boost, but gentle enough to keep her within easy grabbing distance.

The girl lifted high into the air, long hair flowing upward behind her with the momentum. Her eyes opened wider than Ochako had ever seen them as the wind rushed around her. Her head stared upwards at the stars getting ever-so-closer to her floating frame.

She absorbed the star's light for a brief moment, her hair glowing with it. Ochako hung on edge, waiting to intervene in case it was too much.

But then Eri's mouth turned upwards again. Laughter came next, as the girl tested her weightlessness, spinning around in her newfound freedom from any earthly chains.

Ochako felt herself tearing up again at the majesty of it all. Eri had wormed deeply into her heart in hardly any time at all.

The girl did not know how to control herself, but that was okay. She experimented with her lack of gravity, shifting in the air, trying to propel herself ever upwards. She reached her hands out, stretching as high into the night sky as she could. She had no control, but it was enough that she was moving and enjoying it.

Just a moment of pure, unadulterated childhood.

But it could not last forever. Fatigue started to set in and Ochako could not keep Eri afloat for longer than a few minutes. With great reluctance, she broke the spell. "I'm going to have to bring you down for now. Ready?"

Eri didn't fuss, turning around to regard Ochako with her starlit smile. "Okay!"

With that, Ochako carefully tapped herself with her Quirk, lifting up off the ground. She quickly caught up to Eri, grabbing her and getting the girl's arms tightly around her neck. The two hung in the air for a brief moment, enjoying their last dose of being part of the sky.

Ochako deactivated her Quirk, sending them diving closer to the ground. But she did a quick re-activation by tapping herself to break their fall, ensuring a smooth landing.

"Alright, you can come down now," Ochako suggested, reaching to disentangle the girl from her. But much to her shock, Eri stayed clutched on, squeezing a little tighter onto her.

"Don't wanna," she murmured. She let out a yawn, but her exhaustion did not seem to extend to her tight grip.

It was a sublime moment unlike any she had ever experienced. Ochako thought her heart might burst under the weight of the affection the girl was bestowing on her. She supposed this was something heroes had to take in stride.

"Alright, let's carry you to bed, then," she stated with confidence. She bid farewell to the stars that had guided her true again, making her way back to the entrance into the building.

"Not tired…" Eri said a little lowly, shaking her head thoroughly. "Don't want it to end."

Ochako frowned at that. She could not read Eri's expression - the kid's face was buried deep enough into her shoulder - but she could imagine. it. Of course, Eri would not be eager to go back into slumber and face the possibilities of more nightmares. Forcing her into bed would lead to fussing and could undo the efforts of the last hour.

But the girl could not stay awake forever. Despite her protests, sleep would come for her - which would hopefully be peaceful this time.

"Alright," Ochako fibbed, as she carefully navigated through the stairway door with her arms full of Eri. "We can go get you a glass of water and sit in the common room together. Does that sound alright?"

Eri did not answer immediately. She pushed herself back from Ochako, adjusting herself in the hero's hold. She looked up, her red eyes gauging the hero.

"Alright," Eri eventually whispered.

Ochako carefully carried Eri down the stairs, moving slowly in hopes of lulling the girl to a natural rest. The effort seemed to work, as Eri's blinks grew longer, her energy dissipating rapidly.

They made it back to the common area, which was mercifully empty this late at night. Ochako was not sure what time it was at this point, but everyone else was almost assuredly asleep. She let out a yawn herself thinking about it; it was well past her bedtime, too. But a hero could never rest when there was work to be done.

Ochako carefully sat down on the couch and deposited Eri onto it. The girl finally detached herself from Ochako's hold, nestling into the cushions.

The hero moved to grab the promised glass of water but was stopped by a soft tug. She turned to see Eri staring up at her imploringly with half-lidded eyes. Beads of moisture were just visible in the corners of them, shedding from the scars still embedded in her heart.

"Please don't go."

The desperation in the girl's voice clawed deeply into Ochako's gut, digging painfully in a way wholly alien to the dorm's warmth. Her instincts made her surge forward, wrapping Eri back into her hold once more, wanting to help the child in a moment of vulnerability.

"I promise, really, I'm not going anywhere," she assured, as Eri clutched tightly to her. "You can rest easy now."

The girl sniffled a bit, wiping her face into Ochako's shoulder. But eventually, she relented, shifting off Ochako again with a yawn.

"Sorry," she murmured, sinking back into the couch cushions. "I...I just…"

"You have nothing to apologize for," Ochako replied with a smile, idly rubbing at Eri's hair. "Why don't you get comfortable? I'll be back in just a few seconds. I promise."

Eri raised her head as if to argue, but held her tongue. She nodded, blinking slowly.

"That's a brave girl. Nothing's gonna happen." Ochako assured her, before stepping away slowly. She watched Eri as she departed, but the child did not make any movements, exhaustion finally catching up.

The hero breathed a sigh of relief once she made it far enough, quickly scrambling around the kitchen to pour herself a glass. She let the tap run quickly, not bothering to shut it off before she brought it to her lips. She focused narrowly on the feeling of cool water running down her throat. At least, she tried. The burning at the edges of her eyes proved hard to ignore.

She let the glass fall away from her lips, taking a breath of the night air. With a trembling hand, she let the glass fall onto the counter. She closed her eyes and breathed in through her nostrils, trying to stop the shaking making its way up her arms. Her throat felt clogged, making it hard to breathe.

Ochako knew she could ill afford to dally. A vulnerable girl still needed her. But that had been a lot to take in. Exposing herself to a piece of Eri's trauma had proven to be difficult, in a way wholly incomparable to facing down villains.

She grabbed another glass and poured some water for the girl, who was probably as drained and dehydrated as she was. Putting her own exhaustion aside, she stepped into the room, putting on the smile of a hero.

It proved unnecessary. Slumber had quickly befallen Eri, who was firmly embedded into the couch, placing her head on the armrest. Ochako took another breath, letting the tension in her shoulders fall as she realized her job was done. For now, the storm had subsided.

She placed the glass on a table and walked forward, taking a spot on the couch next to Eri. The girl looked so peaceful, the lines of worry dissipated from her face. She was finally getting the sleep she deserved.

Ochako yawned, taking a moment to sink into the cushions herself. She probably needed to get Eri into a real bed. Still, she was reluctant to disturb, especially given the vulnerable state the child was in. Maybe she could give it a few more minutes.

Her thoughts idly wandered and started to blur together. She wondered how much of her job would be moments like this, far more involved than anything they discussed in class. She wondered if this was something she would be capable of doing consistently. She wondered whether she had really done good enough - or as well as Deku would have.

But most of all, she wondered about the sense of warmth that started to fill her despite the difficulty of the night.

Her head felt clearer than it had in weeks. Despite all her doubts, her insecurities, her fears - she could at least be glad knowing she had helped here, if only a little. She could rest assured she had put a smile on the face of a girl in need.

She beamed down at Eri once more. She had tried to be a guiding star for the young one. But it was Eri who had unwittingly helped her illuminate her own night. It was moments like this which made being a hero worthwhile.

"Thank you, Eri."

* * *

Izuku Midoriya struggled to resist the urge to faceplant as he finally crossed the threshold to his class dorms.

His arms hung limply at his sides and his legs burned in protest at their continued use. There was a deep ache throughout much of his body, worn from hours of Quirk usage. He had been pushed to near his very limit.

He stumbled through the doorway, stumbling towards the common area. He did the utmost to keep his footsteps quiet, though he was unsure how well he managed. His sweat-drenched costume clung to his skin irritatingly. He wanted little more than to strip it off and be able to breathe.

Physical pain was something he could handle. But patrolling tonight had brought with it a more emotional bent. More crimes in the night compared to the day. Worse acts of cruelty. More people crying out for help. He had barely intervened in an attempted murder, and though it was not the first time he had encountered that, it was never something he would relish.

Izuku had seen his fair share of harsh scrapes, but this had been a lot to take in all at once. It made him wonder just how many more people were out there like Eri, desperately in need of his help.

Eri…he frowned at the name turning in his mind. The thought had nagged at him all night. She had looked so upset when he left, despite his best reassurances. He knew she still struggled with nightmares. He just hoped this night was peaceful for her.

He groaned quietly to himself. As much as he did not like to think about it, things out there were getting worse. The underworld was growing bolder now that All Might's brilliance was gone. Tonight was just more evidence of it.

The people were afraid. The world was waiting for someone to take up that mantle, to illuminate the night. The world was waiting for him. It frustrated him to no end that he was not yet ready.

He balled his fists, but his self-directed anger dissipated as quickly as it came. He was too tired. More than anything, he just wanted some respite. He could direct his frustration productively in the morning.

With determined steps, he ventured forward into the gloom of the common room.

His heart stopped.

Before him, bound together, were two of the most important people in his life. Ochako was fast asleep, laying down across the entire couch. Eri had curled up into her, head tucked underneath her elder, face glowing, unperturbed by nightmares. Ochako had an arm laying on top of the girl, though her hand critically hung loosely, her fingers not yet coming into contact with anything. It looked so natural, so right, despite them being relative strangers.

Wondrous. His heart swelled and his eyes welled up. Unbidden tears began streaming down his face.

An emotion dwelled powerfully within him that he could only describe as love. But even that word seemed inadequate, somehow, to the totality of this sight. He knew only that the scene before him made his mind explode like few – if any – things he had ever experienced in his life.

He stood still for a few seconds, letting the image etch itself into him. He thought about trying to take a photo, but he doubted the picture would turn out well in the low light. No photograph would ever do this any justice.

Besides, this was not a moment that belonged to him.

Eri shifted suddenly and Deku bit his lip, hoping he had not inadvertently made a noise to wake her. Fortunately, she remained asleep. But she shivered, adjusting to get closer to the warmth she had centred herself on.

His body moved on its own. He tiptoed past them as quickly as he could, praying he did not wake them, before rushing to Eri's room to grab the blanket she might need. He made one last stop to his own room before rushing back to the sleeping pair.

They deserved proper rest. He would do what he could to preserve it.

He approached them, starting by pulling forward an extra pair of his own costume gloves. He knew Ochako used sleeping gloves to keep herself from floating things in her slumber. His own pair would not be a perfect fit, but he hoped they would do.

Izuku bent down and carefully grabbed her loose left hand. He blushed at the contact but did not allow his nerves to get the best of him, dutifully placing the glove on her. He did the same with her other hand, which was fortunately within easy reach. They were easy enough to slip on, as they were oversized. He kept them loose, hoping they would not cause any issues.

"Mmm...Eri," Ochako whispered suddenly.

Izuku nearly tripped over himself as he took a step backwards. It took him a second to realize Ochako was just mumbling in her sleep. Taking a moment to calm his racing pulse, he retreated from the pair with care.

With Ochako's hands contained, Deku tried to put on the finishing touch. He grabbed the queen-sized blanket; it was oversized for Eri, but Yaorozu had insisted on giving her a big bed. He was thankful for it this time, as it made draping it around the pair a little easier. He did not attempt to tuck them in too tightly, hoping they would settle in with it over the course of the night.

He noticed a smile suddenly come onto Eri's face after the blanket was in place. He beamed at the sight, heart warmed in ways only the girl could manage.

He let his eyes drift back to Ochako, mouth a little open as she slept soundly. He could not know what she had done to achieve this, but he was endlessly appreciative of it. Eri must have come to trust her immensely for them to fall asleep together. As the girl's experiences expanded and she grew to trust more people, hopefully, the wounds in her soul could start to heal.

For all the evil he had witnessed on this night, this moment made it all worth it. A beacon in the dark.

Izuku exited the room, heart clinging tightly to a memory that would last him a lifetime.

* * *

AN: I wanted to bust something out for Eri this season because she deserves good things.

Thank you to Deadliest Sin Bin on the IzuOcha Discord server for editing this.

I hope you all enjoyed! Please, leave a favourite and a review; each one of them is precious to me. =)


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